The Toyota Hilux is a series of compact pickup trucks advertised and produced by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota. Many countries used the Hilux name for the entire life of the series but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in benefit of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck. In North America the popular option package, the SR5 (Sport Rally 5-Speed), was colloquially used as a model name for the truck, even though the option package was also utilized on other Toyota models like the Corolla. In 1984, the Trekker, the camper version of the Hilux, was renamed as the 4Runner in Australia and North America, and as the Hilux Surf in Japan. In 1995, Toyota introduced a new pickup model, the Tacoma in North America, discontinuing the Hilux/Pickup there. The 4Runner is now a complete SUV, as well as the more recent models do not resemble the Tacoma.

Toyota shifted production from the Hilux Mighty-X (fifth generation) to the Hilux Tiger (sixth generation) in the late 1990s and made it the worldwide export hub. The Thailand-made Hilux Tiger went through the following versions:

In 2005, Toyota ceased production of the Hilux truck for the Japanese market. This was the final generation Hilux to be available (or built) in Japan.
The Hilux had been produced in Colombia for product sales in Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador from 1998 to 2005 by the SOFASA company (with only petrol engines 2.7 L). In Venezuela, the and Ecuador, the single-cab 2WD chassis/long bed is called the Stout II). For sales in Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, it was imported from Japan from 1998 through 2004 (petrol engined 2.7 L, and diesel engined 2.8 L). This model was not sold in Argentina or Brazil because the fifth generation Hilux had received redesign and improvement.

The Toyota HiLux started life in Japan in 1968 before the HiLux Surf debuted in Australia that same year. 1972 saw the second generation HiLux hit the streets with an expanded model range that included the first four-wheel drive automobiles.

In 1990 the HiLux WorkMate joined the ever-growing range and in 2000 the ‘unbreakable’ ute saw the arrival of the Quad Cam V6 engine and the availability of the first automated transmissions for 4x4 HiLux models.

The Toyota HiLux has had its ‘unbreakable’ reputation put to the test numerous times over the many years including trekking through the ice and snow of the Arctic Challenge race to the Magnetic North Pole and an appearance on UK motoring show Top Gear, that saw host Jeremy Clarkson try, unsuccessfully, to destroy the Japanese ute.

This year is set to be a monumental year for the humble HiLux on track to become the top-selling vehicle in Australia. The ‘unbreakable’ HiLux topped the national product sales charts in July – for the fourth consecutive month - with 4163 vehicles sold.

Currently the Toyota HiLux range includes Single-Cab, Extra-Cab and Double-Cab derivatives, each available in either 4x2 or 4x4. Engines range from a 116kW/240Nm 2.7-litre four-cylinder petrol, 175kW/376Nm 4.0-litre V6 petrol and 126kW/343Nm 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel.

With pricing from ,990 to ,490, the Toyota HiLux looks set to continue on the ‘unbreakable’ traditions of the past.